Thunderstorms could hit today

Batten down the hatches, heavy rain, thunder and lightening that's caused havoc further down the country could be in store for parts of Northland today.

The MetService has issued a thunderstorm outlook saying there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms embedded within bands of heavy rain about western areas from Northland to Taranaki this morning and afternoon.

A Waikato Department of Conservation building is on fire as lightning strikes wreak havoc in the North Island.Crews from around the district were on Monday morning battling the blaze at the Pureora Forest Park DOC office on Barryville Road, the Fire Service said.

It's just one of a number of buildings across the North Island to have been struck by lightning during wild weather in the early hours of today.

Three neighbouring homes in Kohekohe, south of Auckland, had also been hit, with two left smoking and a third with a leak in its roof, the Fire Service said.

The MetService said there had been dozens of strikes around the Auckland region, with more expected throughout the early morning.

Keep up to date with weather information at www.metservice.com.